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Time and Motion Study. Rebecca Johnston Operations Management Dr. Foster. Time and Motion Study: Defined. A method created to determine the ‘correct time’ it takes to complete a certain task A method to establish ‘the one best way to perform a task’. Time and Motion Study: Purposes.
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Time and Motion Study Rebecca Johnston Operations Management Dr. Foster
Time and Motion Study: Defined • A method created to determine the ‘correct time’ it takes to complete a certain task • A method to establish ‘the one best way to perform a task’
Time and Motion Study: Purposes • To end ‘goofing off’ and to establish what constituted a fair days work • To make sure that the job being evaluated does not include any unnecessary motion by the worker
Time and Motion Study: History • Frederick W. Taylor and his followers developed and refined the Time Study • Frank B. Gilbreth and his wife Lillian developed and refined the Motion Study • Historically the two studies are discussed individually, today they generally are discussed as one
Time and Motion Study: In your Organization Historically: T&M Studies were used in the manufacturing industry to evolve pay scales with the thought that money was the only motivation for work
Time and Motion Study: In your Organizationcont’d • Today: • T&M Studies can be effective for performance evaluations • T&M Studies can be used for planning purposes in order to predict the level of output that may be achieved • T&M Studies can be used to uncover problems and create solutions • T&M Studies can be used for time cost analysis
Time and Motion Study: Objective The objective of the Time and Motion Study is to determine a ‘normal’ or average time for a job, by using observers to record exactly how much time is being devoted to each task.
How it Works Step-by-Step 1. Establish the standard job method. 2. Break down the job into elements 3. Study the job. 4. Rate the worker’s performance
How it Works Step-by-Step cont’d 5. Compute the average time 6. Compute the normal time Nt=(t)(RF) or Normal Time=(elemental average time) (rating factor) 7. Compute the standard time ST=(Nt)(1+AF) or Standard Time=(Normal cycle time)(1+Allowance factor)
Time and Motion Study:In Action How do medical residents spend their time at the hospital?
In Actioncont’d 1. Coders/observers training was the 2. Activities were broken down into separate categories, 67 in total 3. The exact number of minutes per task were determined 4. Percentages of time devoted to each task were calculated
In Actioncont’d • A total of 13,383 minutes of activities were observed between the 8 residents • Residents were involved in 1,726 coded activities • These activities averaged 7.75 minutes each with a standard deviation of 14.5 minutes
Time and Motion Study: Exercise • Compute the standard time for this job using an allowance factor of 20 percent.
Solution Use the formula (t)(RF)=Nt Element 1 (.251)(1.10)=.2761 Element 2 (.529)(1.15)=.6084 And so on for element 3 and 4 To get the normal cycle time you sum the Nt values. Here = 1.73 min
Solution To compute the standard time use the 20 percent allowance factor Nt(1+AF)=ST Here 1.73(1+.20)=2.08 So the standard time for each element of this job is 2.08 minutes
Time and Motion Study: Problems • Observers are not always competent • Those conducting the study are not always proficient in the job being observed • The actions observed are not always reflective of the group as a whole
Time and Motion Study: Problems cont’d Workers may not cooperate with a time and motion study: • They may resent the study if it is being used to determine the pay scale • Workers may change the rate at which they work • Pressure may increase mistakes made • Workers may alter normal work methods to disrupt the study
References Ferguson, David S., Don’t Call it “time and motion study”, IIT Solutions, Norcross. May 1997. Vol. 29, Issue 5. Finkler, Steven A., A Comparison of work-sampling and time-and-motion techniques for studies in health services research, Health Service Research, Chicago. Dec 1993. Vol. 28, Issue 5. Koehler, Kenneth G., Time Cost Analysis, CMA, Hamilton. May 1992. Vol. 66, Issue 4. Russell, Roberta; Taylor, Bernard W., Operations Management, Prentice Hall Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. 2000. Stevens, Larry, Time Study Prompts New HR Efficiencies, Personnel Journal, Santa Monica. April 1994. Vol. 73, Issue 4. Stuttaford, Genevieve, The One Best Way: Fredrick Winslow Taylor & the Enigma of Efficiency, Publishers Weekly, New York. March 17, 1997. Vol. 224, Issue 11.